Sales of local skincare products on Tokopedia almost doubled during the first quarter of 2021 compared to that in the first quarter a year earlier. “Face wash, face treatment bundle, serums, face masks and moisturisers become some of the most popular products on out platform,” said Jessica Stephanie Jap, Tokopedia AVP of category development for FMCG and long tail categories.

“Sales increased 60% during the pandemic and [we] have reached customers in Papua,” said The Bath Box founder Angelinda Fransisca in a press release.

Gentle Hour and Upmost Beaute founders also recorded sales growth in the eastern part of Indonesia. Logistics is one of the challenges for brands in an archipelagic country. Shipping a package weighing one kilogram from Jakarta to Jayapura, for instance, could cost up to Rp100,000.

Another trend that the e-commerce platform notices is the rise of skincare brand with natural ingredients. Maska Indonesia founders saw a significant increase of sales within a month. “During the pandemic, considering that everyone stays at home, our product sales experienced significant growth instead,” said Maska Indonesia co-founder Raditya Banyu.